THE SEVENTEEN YEAR OLD KING OF ATLANTA

Yes, Atlanta has a new king. Hip-hop often seems like a college football rivalry: east coast vs. west coast morphs into a partisan rallying cry like least coast vs. best coast. While the south has its own subdivisions and loyalties, Atlanta leaves people scratching their heads: the local radio show playlist is one minute a showcase for this season's crunk, the next it's celebrating an eclectic singer who spits, invites Joni Mitchell to collaborate then sings like LOVE's Arthur Lee or Lisa Bonet's Lenny Kravitz.

Programmers are as confused and delighted as listeners. Yes, the music that proudly, defiantly resists a genre label is what the people want side-by-side with the latest T.I. protege. Those familiar with the music of the city "too busy to hate" know that Bandit Gang Marco is Atlanta. He, for one, embodies the sound of an inner-city thriving with youth revelry, unapologetically leaving out mentions of gats, glocks, or crack rocks.

Then you have an artist as unlike Marco or T.I. as R.E.M. was. And the praise is overflowing for 17 year old IZZY JONE$. He's hip-hop as exciting and new and Del the Funky Homosapien was and still is. That suggests that young King Izzy (unless he's a fluke, in which i'll join you and die) has an intellect overloaded with ideas that his non-stop and obsessive composing and recording cannot possibly keep pace with a public thirsty, not salty, to hear them.

ALBUM 0 is a full-length set, an album (yes you will) Izzy Jone$ released near summer's end. Technically, okay hip-hop is what we'll label Izzy. He won't be offended, he most identifies with OutKast -- but Izzy hasn't moved into a box.

Izzy spits the majority of the time on "ALBUM 0". He also sings. "Darling" took me my surprise not because Izzy sings the whole track, nor did it surprise me that here's a young man bravely secure with being sensitive. "Darling" surprised me because it is "Darling". Unforgettably Izzy, he's that quick to leave his mark. (Actually "PIEZ" which preceded this album, convinced me that i had discovered a shining new brand of hip-hop intellectualism & art school fantasy too revolutionary to keep to myself. How could i have known that i'm yet the newest member of a select cult of IZZY JONE$' faithful following?)